We're well into the holiday season, and since this is 2020, as I have mentioned numerous times before, one that just about all of us haven't experienced before. The "second wave" of COVID-19 is, for the most part, putting everyone back on the sidelines, as some neighboring states (New York, Pennsylvania) have once again banned inside dining. And the snowstorm this week has pretty much put outdoor dining on hold as well. And again, the music industry is being hit hard.
But, as they say, "life hands you lemons...make lemonade". And, there have been the usual share of holiday music, but some of them with an added twist. Last week I mentioned Bryan Hansen featuring Kim Boyko's take on "Christmas Wrapping", as well as Shannon Marsyada's remembrance of ones departed with "Winter Birds". But, who better to wrap up the state of the season but The Hounds of Winter?
 |
| A masked Tom Corea has released the pandemic-themed holiday entry, "Is It Over Yet?" with his studio ensemble The Hounds of Winter, recorded in several locations |
The Hounds, for those new to my blog, are a studio ensemble headed by my Roselle Park friend Tom Corea. Originally specializing in CD's of pretty much any Christmas and holiday tune you could imagine, originally under the name "A Musical Christmas Card". Finally, probably due to their prolific Christmas-season recordings, they renamed their projects The Hounds of Winter, after a Sting song. Their most recent effort was three years ago, with their Christmas Party CD. It spawned the blog Top Ten "Christmas Must Be Tonight", the #37-charting "Remember Christmas", and a cover of Ian Roberts' 'Christmas At Our House", of which the 2015 original (that also features the Hounds) is the Top Mover on the playlist this week (65-34).
But Tom, who also is a member of two current bands (Billy Penn and the Inside Drivers; Terry and the Rockits), both of which, for the most part, have been relegated to the sidelines this year, was active in his own right this year, providing percussion backing for various projects overseas. But, with the inability to fully get together with any of his projects, specifically the Hounds, he wasn't able to record any band projects at his studio.
But Tom found a way around it.
A couple weeks back, Tom posted lyrics to a potential new song dealing with the pandemic, called "Is It Over Yet?", and was wondering if the song could come to fruition before the holidays. Well, nothing can stop him, and this past week, he posted a new video from The Hounds for "Is It Over Yet?".
So, how was he able to put this thing together when his band members were scattered all over? Well, thanks to technology, he was able to pull it off. Tom in his "Babyfishmouth" studio in his East Hanover home, was joined by one other member, with the others in the band contributing in Kansas and even Canada, with Tom putting all the pieces together.
The song is an original with Tom, who wrote the song with lead singer Steve Roman, and contributor Steve Shouse. The lyrics are perfect, entailing what we all had to go through 2020 with, and hoping to once again get out and enjoy what we had been doing. Roman's vocals have always had the Jon Bon Jovi edge to it, making it the perfect Jersey song. A sampling of the lyrics include:
Is it over yet I’m done with this year Is it over yet Can we get out of here I’ll leave the presents by your door When the calendar changes I’ll want so much more
Below is the video which was released this week:
However, similar to the aforementioned Shannon Marsyada, and Bryan Hansen (as well as another rather droll song by a New Jersey artist, Jim Testa with "COVID Christmas"), it is not available for download, at least as of this writing, although Tom has hinted at a commercial release shortly. Without a doubt, these three songs would have been my playlist winners of the season, especially the Hounds and Hansen Band's songs since they're pretty much topical. Regardless let's hope the videos (I had posted the other two on my blog last week) will stay on YouTube for all to enjoy, for quite a while. And hopefully this time next year we can laugh about all this.
MARIAH-CLE: Once again, the holiday songs have taken over the Billboard Hot 100 in a big way. It seems every year, more and more of them have permeated the upper regions of that list. Leading the way once more is "All I Want for Christmas Is You", by Mariah Carey, which, after 25 years of release, finally hit the top spot for three weeks last year. Well, it's back on top once again. Carey has now amassed a record 83 weeks at the top factoring in her 19 number one songs. Positions 3, 5, 6 and 10 are also holiday classics, with the latter, Jose Feliciano's "Feliz Navidad" hitting the upper circle for the first time, fifty years after release. This week 27 songs--over a quarter of the chart-- are occupied by holiday songs, new and old, with some of the older songs hitting new peaks on the chart this week. Many of these artists had not seen the top part of the chart in decades.
STAYIN' ALIVE: Did anyone catch the new Bee Gees documentary on HBO or HBO Max yet? "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" is the name of it, and features new interviews with sole surviving band member Barry Gibb, as well as prior interviews with Robin and Maurice, as well as a few backing musicians who were with the band in its heyday. The show brushes with the band's beginnings as kids but focuses on their prime recording years 1967 to 1979, with the band's many rises and falls--Robin's split from the band in 1969 to his returning a couple years later; then after a down period in 1973 and '74, reinventing their new funky disco-oriented sounds bringing them record-setting success.
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| The Bee Gees are the subject of an HBO documentary "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" |
Perhaps one of the best moments in the special came from the summer of 1979. While the band was still on top (six straight number one songs, a record at the time), and having a blockbuster tour, the footage switches band and forth between the concert reception, and the infamous "Disco Demolition Day" at Chicago's Comiskey Park, where disco records were set on fire and blown up; to which the Bee Gees were the major target; when disco went down, the band went down with it.
The post 1979 years were covered in brief, with the band writing hits for others, and eventually Barry dealing with the passings of brothers Andy, Maurice and Robin. I had covered part of the band's history in a 2012 blog after Robin's death, which you can click on below.
If you haven't already seen this special and you were a Bee Gees fan, it's a must see.
BAKAR HITS THE TOP: Bakar grabs his first blog number one with the aptly-named "1st Time", hitting the top in just six weeks. It's a worthy follow-up to his breakthrough "Hell N Back" which hit my #3 and still hangs in there at #98 after 24 weeks on the playlist. It's also doing quite well on Billboard's Triple-A chart, where it moves 16-12 and had the most increase in radio station plays in that format. It's becoming clear that I seem to be having more in common with Triple-A (Adult Album Alternative) then the regular Alternative Chart these days. Am I getting too old?
Bakar displaces Devon Gilfillan's "The Good Life" after two weeks. Surfer Blood's former blog topper "Karen" slips to #3, while Miley Cyrus' "Midnight Sky", still on the Hot 100, holds steady at #4. Chris Stapleton's "Cold" advances to #5, by far the biggest song of his handful that made my blog.
With Bryan Hansen Band / Kim Boyko, The Hounds of Winter and Shannon Marsyada's "Winter Birds" not available for download or CD, it appears the 2020 holiday title will go to Molly Burch's "Holiday Dreaming", which moves 9-6, and far and away leading the other songs. While that is impressive, mostly likely it won't hit the top spot as the song, which appeared on the songstress' 2019 Christmas Album, hasn't gotten any airplay or friends' buzz, although it garnered some "likes" which I posted it.
"Pixie Dust", the third single from Elise Farnsworth's Turn Her Up, set, makes an impressive move from 23-8. Inching into the top ten is Bright Eyes' "Mariana Trench", and The Backseat Lovers' "Kilby Girl", which has been crawling along for a while and finally reaches the top 10 after 22 weeks. The song is a steady climber on the Alternative chart at #29 after eight weeks there.
Ian Roberts' "Christmas At Our House" as mentioned above snags Mover of the Week honors. A big thanks to Ian and members of his band Tinkers Lane for sharing their music with me!
Though Shannon Marsyada's holiday song isn't available, her new non-holiday song "The Road" is available on Reverbnation, thus the song enters at a lofty #44. The only other non-holiday entry is by Cannons, with "Fire For You", which is #3 alternative. Cannons, new to SNS is an indie-electronic trio fronted by Michelle Joy. They are from Los Angeles and have released four EP's thus far. The song itself is a rather hypnotic, steady romp and continues to build as the song goes along. This should be a giant with repeated listens.
The other two debuts are holiday-oriented ones. There IS a pandemic-related holiday tune that is available, that being by Twenty One Pilots, with "Christmas Saves the Year", debuting high at #52. It's no surprise, in a way, since it's this duo that had the first COVID-related hit with "Level of Concern" which topped alternative for weeks, and reached #25 here. "Everyone wants to make it home this year, even if the world has fallen down" is among the lyrics. It's a rather surreal "trippy" concoction that could have been released back in the 1960's or early 70's but with current beats and production. Probably one of their best, although the limits of the season will probably prevent it from hitting my top 20.
Finally, "Hallelujah" by Carrie Underwood and John Legend enters the list. This is not the Leonard Cohen standard but a new song written by John Stephens and Toby Gad. It's from Underwood's first holiday album My Gift, released this year. She also had a holiday special on HBO Max. Featured on both the song and special is John Legend, who hit my playlist last year with the "PC" version of "Baby It's Cold Outside" with Kelly Clarkson. With Gwen Stefani featuring Blake Shelton's re-entry of 2017's "You Make It Feel Like Christmas", all four coaches on The Voice are represented on my playlist this week with holiday songs (Stefani has a non-holiday song moving up as well). Clarkson, like Underwood, a prior American Idol winner, has her two holiday songs moving up the list. This is Carrie's third entry onto my list; she hit my blog #1 back in 2017 as featured performer on Keith Urban's "The Fighter". Speaking of The Voice, season 19 was recently completed with 15-year old Carter Rubin winning the competition.
COMING UP: There is one more blog week left before Christmas which will be my annual year recap, and the final SNS 100 playlist. That will be followed by my annual Holiday Top 100, and finally my Top 100 of 2020. Please be safe, and Happy Holidays.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
December 13, 2020
|
This Week |
Last
Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks
on List |
|
1 |
3 |
NUMBER ONE:  "1st Time" (Single Only) |
6 |
|
2 |
1 |
14 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
15 |
|
|
4 |
4 |
14 |
|
|
5 |
8 |
7 |
|
|
6 |
9 |
4 |
|
|
7 |
5 |
6 |
|
|
8 |
23 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  Album: Turn Her Up |
5 |
|
9 |
12 |
11 |
|
|
10 |
11 |
22 |
|
|
11 |
6 |
13 |
|
|
12 |
7 |
12 |
|
|
13 |
10 |
16 |
|
|
14 |
13 |
10 |
|
|
15 |
18 |
Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors - Where the River Flows |
8 |
|
16 |
25 |
8 |
|
|
17 |
17 |
8 |
|
|
18 |
14 |
15 |
|
|
19 |
15 |
9 |
|
|
20 |
28 |
5 |
|
|
21 |
22 |
8 |
|
|
22 |
27 |
5 |
|
|
23 |
26 |
9 |
|
|
24 |
20 |
12 |
|
|
25 |
31 |
6 |
|
|
26 |
32 |
6 |
|
|
27 |
36 |
5 |
|
|
28 |
16 |
20 |
|
|
29 |
19 |
16 |
|
|
30 |
43 |
4 |
|
|
31 |
40 |
4 |
|
|
32 |
21 |
11 |
|
|
33 |
24 |
15 |
|
|
34 |
65 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  (Single Only) |
2 |
|
35 |
37 |
7 |
|
|
36 |
35 |
10 |
|
|
37 |
41 |
6 |
|
|
38 |
29 |
15 |
|
|
39 |
30 |
15 |
|
|
40 |
34 |
18 |
|
|
41 |
33 |
17 |
|
|
42 |
45 |
5 |
|
|
43 |
47 |
10 |
|
|
44 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  "The Road" (Single Only) |
1 |
|
45 |
56 |
3 |
|
|
46 |
55 |
4 |
|
|
47 |
51 |
5 |
|
|
48 |
53 |
3 |
|
|
49 |
59 |
Goo Goo Dolls - This
is Christmas |
3 |
|
50 |
44 |
Christina Alessi & the Toll Collectors - Whatever Gets You
Through |
11 |
|
51 |
64 |
2 |
|
|
52 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
53 |
38 |
18 |
|
|
54 |
49 |
5 |
|
|
55 |
68 |
2 |
|
|
56 |
39 |
18 |
|
|
57 |
42 |
9 |
|
|
58 |
57 |
19 |
|
|
59 |
82 |
2 |
|
|
60 |
46 |
7 |
|
|
61 |
81 |
2 |
|
|
62 |
50 |
16 |
|
|
63 |
54 |
31 |
|
|
64 |
71 |
3 |
|
|
65 |
61 |
5 |
|
|
66 |
66 |
11 |
|
|
67 |
72 |
4 |
|
|
68 |
48 |
7 |
|
|
69 |
75 |
3 |
|
|
70 |
58 |
23 |
|
|
71 |
70 |
3 |
|
|
72 |
63 |
29 |
|
|
73 |
69 |
9 |
|
|
74 |
52 |
13 |
|
|
75 |
73 |
3 |
|
|
76 |
62 |
19 |
|
|
77 |
60 |
13 |
|
|
78 |
78 |
Billie Eilish -
Therefore I Am |
3 |
|
79 |
85 |
2 |
|
|
80 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
81 |
83 |
2 |
|
|
82 |
67 |
6 |
|
|
83 |
74 |
8 |
|
|
84 |
77 |
34 |
|
|
85 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
86 |
79 |
30 |
|
|
87 |
80 |
22 |
|
|
88 |
94 |
15 |
|
|
89 |
RE ENTRY |
Gwen Stefani ft Blake Shelton - You Make It Feel
Like Christmas |
10 |
|
90 |
76 |
21 |
|
|
91 |
84 |
24 |
|
|
92 |
89 |
10 |
|
|
93 |
97 |
19 |
|
|
94 |
86 |
9 |
|
|
95 |
87 |
21 |
|
|
96 |
88 |
9 |
|
|
97 |
90 |
8 |
|
|
98 |
91 |
24 |
|
|
99 |
93 |
33 |
|
|
100 |
92 |
7 |
|
|
Songs with the greatest increase in
favorite points over the prior week. ●
Songs with
25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲ Songs with 50 or more plays.
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